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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25207417">Icarus (And in the End)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_tiny_star_prince/pseuds/A_tiny_star_prince'>A_tiny_star_prince</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>In the End [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Creativetwins, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders Angst, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders Needs a Hug, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders-centric, Crying, Drowning, Gen, Hurt Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Inspired by Bastille (Band), Inspired by The Fall of Icarus (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), Kid Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Kid Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Near Death Experiences, No beta we die like the dragon witch to roman's katana-, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders, Winged Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:48:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,760</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25207417</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_tiny_star_prince/pseuds/A_tiny_star_prince</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a cliff Roman visits when he needs stillness.<br/>It is a cliff where he goes to try to grow.<br/>Where he tried to achieve more.<br/>Where he changes.<br/>Where he decides, “Does Thomas still need me?”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety &amp; Creativity &amp; Dark Creativity &amp; Deceit &amp; Logic &amp; Morality (Sanders Sides), Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders &amp; Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders &amp; Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>In the End [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1826173</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>123</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Before we start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This story is heavily inspired by the song “Icarus” by Bastille. I recommend you listen to the song before you begin reading, or at least have it fresh in mind. I did not want to make this a song-fic as I personally do not think the formatting would work, but wish to ensure that I’d you read this you still understand it’s connections to the dog and the ways listening to the song can enhance your own experience. </p><p>Thank you, and let’s begin</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Standing on the Cliff Face</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>And so it begins...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the Imagination, there is a cliff. The cliff stands above an ocean, and from it, you can see the entire imagination.</p><p>Roman’s castle, his small towns, the hut and cave of the Dragon-Witch, the cove of shells made when Thomas watched Ariel- where an underwater kingdom would come up to talk and trade and live with a seaside village, a city of bird people, an elf outcropping. </p><p>You could see Remus’s tower, his kingdom of orcs and people whose eyes glowed red, blue, rainbow, whose sky was changing constantly, the cities of plague, the train station and industrial district of Hades town, the salon filled with men and women Roman swore were succubuses, his grotto of poison plants and sunlight, the Naga cave for Janus, the graveyard for halloween, and days on. </p><p>You could see the borderlands, the large castle in the center that housed two flags- a green flag that looked torn apart by war and a red flag that always looked pristine, almost metallic. The city that spanned below it, the crest on the gates that faced the Cliff- a shield with a sword facing point to the ground behind it, a castle of three turrets and a large tower in the shield’s design, a crown holding the shield and sword and all of it together. </p><p>Roman loved the cliff. Loved the fresh air, loved watching the world from here- because it didn’t feel like he was watching it from the eyes of a god, a creator, as one would assume from the height advantage. He felt… small. Small and real and distanced in the land he and his brother made. He loved watching the merfolk in the coves, the Kraken playing with the smaller mers, the pirate ships that docked and invaded and traded, the bustle so quiet and muted. He loved the sun shining against him, loved the rain when it poured or drizzled, the sunsets, the sunrises, the twilights and magic hours and golden hours and everything in between. </p><p>The cliff is the place he went for stillness, for quiet, for when he couldn’t name the feelings in his chest, for when he didn’t know what to do. It was the place he went to grow, the place he went to achieve more, the place he changed at. It was the place he went when he and Remus had split. It was the place he went after Thomas was heartbroken, before Patton came to comfort him. </p><p>So after the newest episode, after he had apologized to Janus and left before receiving a reply, after he had walked for what felt like hours and nothing at the same time, he stood at the cliff. </p><p>
  <em> ~~~ </em>
</p><p>
  <em> When he and Remus were young, they gave themselves many different things. Additions, traits, dyed hair and colored eyes, in the Imagination anything was possible. Remus had liked the red eyes he already had, and so he let them shine the color of blood, much to Roman’s amusement when they started to actually bleed- which his twin fixed right away.  Roman had green eyes and he kept them, but he made them more vibrant- to match Remus’ new costume.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What next?” Remus asked, hanging from their wardrobe by his knees, in the bedroom that once held a large bed and now held two bunk beds. He tilted his head and Roman shrugged, huffing out a breath.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “I don’t know! Ughhhh this is so annoying~!” Roman whined, flopping down into a pile of plushies they’d both added to, groaning. Remus watched him and giggled, then his eyes brightened and he squeaked.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He dropped off the wardrobe and jumped on Roman, making him let out a muffled “oof-”. “I know! Wings! And tentacles and hands and everything we could put on our backs!” The older creativity grinned, eyes shining.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Roman pushed Remus off him and rolled over to look at him. “Tentacles?” he asked, and Remus nodded, eyes sparkling as he nodded up and down. “Yeah! Like a Kraken! Can we make a Kraken?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Roman shrugged. “I guess, I mean the lake is empty..” he mumbled. He glanced at the glass door that led to a balcony. “You could make it an ocean- it would fit better,” he suggested.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Remus nodded and waved his hand.  “Yeah yeah, I can do that later-” he waved, standing up and walking to the large mirror on the wall, twirling around and eyeing his back- wearing a black shirt with puffy sleeves and silver accents and a green sash tied into a bow at the back- a mirror image of Roman’s version in white, gold, and red- only Roman’s sash wasn’t tied in a bow and he didn't have puffy sleeves like Remus.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Right now- I wanna have tentacles!” he grinned and snapped his fingers. Eight green tentacles appeared on his back, shiny and an emerald green- flecked with gold, matching Roman’s eyes.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Roman gazed at them, eyes wide. “Woah… bro they look perfect!” he grinned, popping up to poke them. “Woah! They’re squishy! But not slimy..?”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Should they be?” Remus asked, and Roman shrugged. “In that case- I think I’ll make them slimy later, it’s your turn now!” he smiled at Roman and spun around to look at his brother.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Roman blinked and shrugged, looking down. “Oh uh… I don’t think tentacles would look so good on me,” he sighed. Remus tilted his head as Roman thought a bit, and looked outside at the lake- soon to be ocean- and saw a flock of birds.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Do wings!” he exclaimed, and Roman looked back up, Remus smiling widely at him. “Bird wings! You’ll look like an angel!”  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “But I don’t want white wings!” Roman whined, pouting. “They're not… enough. I want them to be eye catching and shiny and cool like your tentacles!” he explained, and Remus hummed, plopping down to sit on the floor.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “What if they were… gold?” Remus asked, tilting his head to the side. Roman paused and thought a moment before nodding.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You're smart, Re-Re,” he hummed, looking at him with a smile, and he snapped his fingers. A pair of golden wings appeared on his back, feathers soft to the touch, but still sleek and shiny metallic.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Woah! They're so shiny!” Remus breathed, eyes sparkling as he got up to touch the feathers, running a hand through the feathers with a rather gentle touch. He grinned wider and Roman giggled at the contact.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Ah! They’re ticklish, Re!” he whined, and his brother’s grin morphed into one of delight.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “They are?” he asked, and Roman backed away, laughing as Remus crept towards his twin, eyes sparkling as his hands and tentacles raised. “So if I-” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Remus~!” Roman screamed and laughed, running away to avoid his twin as they two ran around the room- Remus trying to catch and tickle his brother while Roman laughed and stumbled around with his wings, attempting escape. The two didn’t stop laughing for hours, and Roman was caught. By sundown, both had fallen asleep in Remus’ top bunk, a pile of limbs and tentacles, two golden wings draped over them both like blankets as they slept.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> ~~~ </em>
</p><p>Roman gazed at the ocean, the view beyond, thinking of that day. He shifted his wings, the same gold of years passed. Pristine, shiny, regal like a statue- a prince. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “You’re my Hero.” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>He ignored the tears gathering in his eyes. </p><p> </p><p><em> “Thank god you don’t have a mustache Roman, otherwise, I wouldn’t know </em> who <em> the evil twin was!”  </em></p><p> </p><p>The princely figure swallowed, he could hear the others calling at him, yelling for him to come down, but he steeled himself and looked past and up to the sky, at the sun. A breeze rustled his feathers, missing his hair. As it left he exhaled slowly, eyes closing for a moment as a tear tracked down his face, dropping to the ground quietly. </p><p>He would do this. For Thomas. Always for Thomas. </p><p>On the ground, the group watched Roman spread his wings, the gold of his feathers reflecting the sunlight around him, making him look like a shining statue, too incredible to be real. </p><p>“Roman! Stop-!” Virgil screamed, eyes widening as he saw what was to happen before the others, and he started to run, as if that could stop the inevitable. </p><p>It did not stop a single thing. Roman jumped off, ignoring the screams, the only noise was the wind in his ears, his wings beating as he flew. The sun shone on his face and he reached out, wings gliding across the air, the wind rushing in his hair and through every feather, and for a moment it was good. For a single, perfect moment where Virgil’s lungs couldn’t dare let out a scream, where Patton’s eyes gazed upon Roman’s face, heart stopping, where Logan could see the yearning shining in Roman’s eyes, even from a distance, it was good. In the mindscape Janus could feel a stillness, and he paused, turning his head, a tug in his chest, and Remus paused what he was doing in the living room. </p><p>“Remus..?” Janus asked, seeing the other side pause, the crazed look dying in his eyes like a fire burning out. </p><p>“...something is wrong,” he said softly, in a tone that scared Janus- because it was soft, scared, wounded, dead. He looked up and his morning star fell to the floor- a soft thump, no explosion, no nothing- and he swallowed. “I.. I can feel it. In my chest,” he whispered, hand rising to grip at his top- and he looked away. “Roman.”</p><p>Janus felt his heart stop. “Roman…?” The ego. The thing Janus meant to protect. He could feel it curl in his chest, like vines growing around his lung, not invading them, but a presence- a weight where there was none before. </p><p>The two sank out and went to the imagination quickly, leaving an empty living room with a morningstar lying on the carpet, an unnatural stillness filling the air. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"Standing on the cliff face, highest fall you'll ever grace, it scares me half to death."<br/>-"Icarus" by Bastille</p><p>~~~<br/>Comments and constructive criticism totally allowed!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Flying too Close to the Sun</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>"Having helped Icarus on with his pair of wings, Daedalus warned him: 'Be careful not to fly too low, my boy, for fear of the sea spray; or too high, for fear of the sun,'" (Graves, 51). </p><p>(From the book "Geek Gods and Heros", written by Robert Graves and published by Laurel-Leaf library, I do not own this quote)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was a small stutter. An inability to go on. An insecurity. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As he drew closer to the sky- to the shining sun- his wings failed. Stuttering to a stop, frozen in time like something had hit them, he was struck from the sky. His lips parted and he stared up at the sun as he fell towards the ocean under him, feeling his tears leave his eyes. He closed his eyes, smiling weakly at the sky before he plunged into the sea back first- Virgil's strangled scream following. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! Roman-!” He screamed, pushed to a sprinting pace as he raced to the cliff’s edge, tugging his jacket off before he dove into the sea below. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Virgil-!” Patton screamed- following the other and reaching out for him, but Logan pulled him back  and into his chest, feeling Patton breakdown against him, his shaking sobs rough against his chest. Logan only stared, rubbing Patton’s back, the cold tears trailing down his face unfelt- he was numb. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the water, Virgil swam down, trying to catch up to Roman’s rapidly sinking form. When he first dived in he was scared he’d miss the prince’s form, that Roman would sink to the bottom and Virgil would fail. He realised, as he swam down, this would not be the case. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roman was too bright, too magical, to ignore as he sank down. The sunlight filtering through the darkening abyss below them caught on his wings, reflecting golden sunlight that swam across his face and made the water glow around him- as if he radiated pure gold and sunlight. His wings cupped him, his hair framing his face and floating across his skin, nearly covering his closed eyes. His lips were parted, and Virgil could see the last bubbles of the air that followed him as he fell down slip away- just as a bubble of air left Roman’s lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil’s heart raced and he kicked harder, hand reaching out for Roman’s form like Roman’s had reached for the sun only moments ago, unable to entertain the idea, the mere thought, of Roman dying here. Not now, not ever, he couldn't allow this, he couldn't allow Roman’s grave to be here, his death, his early death- he couldn't. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil reached, desperate, tears disappearing in the water surrounding them. He wouldn’t allow it. </span>
</p><p><span>In Roman’s mind, as he sunk further into the abyss... </span>He remembered when Remus left him. He remembered when he didn’t speak to him, when he ignored him and glared. Remembered how he said he hated Roman, how he shoved him away when he got closer, when he tried to talk to him. How he was crying but he left anyway. How he left Roman alone in their childhood room, a room meant for the two of them, his gold wings dull and eyes filling with tears as he gripped a paper in his clenched fist. Remembered looking at the drawing he’d made for Remus, and later going to the side of the mind Remus claimed, scared and alone, and slipping the drawing carefully under the door of a tower that loomed above him like a warning to stay away. </p><p>
  <span>And as he thought of the past, he thought of the present. Roman remembered leaving this morning, remembered the odd looks at him in nothing but his usual attire, no sword, when he told them how he was going on an adventure. Remembered Patton’s worry over his lack of equipment- but he didn't need it where he was going. Even when he said that, Patton’s face did not relax, and Logan’s brows knit together as he attempted to understand where Roman meant to go. Remembered leaving the room and sighing softly, pulling out a letter he then slipped under the door. Remembered waiting, </span>
  <em>
    <span>why did he wait</span>
  </em>
  <span>, till someone took it, till he heard the crinkle of the paper being unfolded before he left, turning his back, wings fading into existence. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan led Patton to the shoreline, the beach, for stability. Logically- the only way he could think, his emotions overwhelmed and not yet processing; logically he knew when Virgil came up, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he had to, he had to,</span>
  </em>
  <span> that he would swim to the beach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the water, a hand grasped Romans shirt. On land, eyes watched the water, and two minds let themselves hope. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quiet filled the world for a moment, only the sounds of the shore and the stillness of the air and Patton’s soft cries could be heard. That was before Virgil burst out of the water, a loud crash and a gasp, dragging up with him a familiar head of brown hair and two limp, golden wings, trailing behind and filling the water with sunlight that didn’t belong. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>"Icarus is flying too close to the sun<br/>And Icarus's life, it has only just begun<br/>This is how it feels to take a fall<br/>Icarus is flying towards an early grave,"- Icarus by Bastille. </p><p>Sometimes we reach for a goal we can not meet. Sometimes we must fall before we can soar.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Grief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>There are five stages, or types, of grief. </p><p>There are five people to catch the one who has fell. </p><p>(If you can identify the types of grief, do tell who you think is who, I'm interested in how I portrayed them)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Virgil swam towards shore, dragging Roman’s limp form with him. The prince’s lips were tinted blue and his skin was pale, a faint bluish purple tone to his fingers. Virgil kicked harder, gasping for air with the effort of dragging them both to shore from the cold waters. His legs burned, like his lungs, holding his breath so long had hurt more than he expected. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he got closer to shore, Remus and Janus appeared from the woods nearby. Remus ran into the water, meeting Virgil halfway as he helped the other drag Roman’s unconscious form to shore. They pulled him up enough that the water only just touched his feet on the bigger waves, spreading him out so his wings had room; they dripped water and the gold was dull, no longer reflecting the sunlight as brightly as it did below the waves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patton and Logan stumbled over with help from Janus, whose face was ashen and eyes just a bit wider than normal. Patton kneeled besides Roman, holding his hand, Logan next to him, eyes still wide and almost unseeing, a hand on Patton’s shoulder as the moral side cried softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus moved to hold Roman’s head in his lap, eyes wide as he stared at the other- his unnatural silence disturbing and heartbreaking. He didn’t tear his eyes away, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Remus never cried, they would realise later. Then again… Roman had never looked so dead before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil looked at Roman’s limp form, face screwing up in anger and sadness. Hot, angry tears filled his eyes and he took a shaky breath. He gripped the fabric of his shirt, swallowing thickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Janus looked to him and bit his lips, eyes troubled and brows furrowed. “Virgil..” he said quietly, but the other cut him off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he hissed. Virgil took a shaky breath. “Wake up, you idiot!” he snapped at Roman, glaring at the prince’s form. “Wake up you dumb, stupid, annoyingly sing-y idiot-” with every word he moved to hit Roman’s chest with the side of his first, but the actions were desprate and not meant to hurt like an attack, “-Wake up!” he sobbed, anger fading to show sorrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Janus reached out to touch Virgil’s shoulder as the anxious side cried, but Virgil slapped his hand away, eyes wide and red, his eyeshadow trailing down with his tears. Janus drew back and watched Virgil stand up and walk to a tree, shaking. The anxious side screamed, a raging, harrowing, noise, and punched the tree; making Patton and Janus flinch in sync at the loud thuds that followed the first, then the cracks of wood breaking under bleeding fists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus gazed down at Roman, the world around him tuned out, and bit his lips. “...Wake up,” he whispered, voice fragile, unheard by the rest of their small family. “...I can’t… I can’t lose you..” he said quietly, tears starting to roll down his cheeks as he bowed his head more, closing his eyes as sobs began to build in his chest. The feeling was new, it was uncomfortable, it made Remus want to tear his heart out for fear of the pain that would settle into his chest and lungs and eyes, a pain that could not be recovered, a pain that would kill him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grief, as it turns out, is a pain and a sadness and an anger, it is in stages. And the stage that settled on Remus as he gazed at his brother, his twin, was the thick cloud of sadness; who wrapped her tendrils into his chest and settled like a thick blanket that seeped into his skin, her rain droplets flooding to his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Roman moved. His chest convulsed and he coughed, and Remus’s eyes shot open to see his brother struggling to expel the water filling his lungs. Remus quickly helped Roman to roll over, and Patton let go of Roman’s hands as he turned. The prince coughed out the water, left panting as Remus carefully rolled him back to his original position, eyes wide. Virgil had heard the coughing and rushed over, kneeling besides Roman again with wide eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus bit his lips. “Ro-Ro?” he asked softly, and Roman looked up to his twin, vision swimming and fading at the edges. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“..Re…?” he mumbled, voice raspy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus smiled a little and nodded. “Yeah,” he said quietly. He sniffled a bit and drew Roman up, hugging him tightly. “Don’t do that again, you idiot,” He whispered, closing his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Roman nodded a little, and slowly managed to wrap his arms around Remus, wings curling around the other weakly. Patton moved closer and gently hugged the two twins, and Roman looked up, brows furrowing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pat..” he whispered, and the moral side smiled sadly, nodding. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m here kiddo,” he whispered. “We all are,” he murmured with a gentle smile, reaching out and petting Roman’s hair, watching with a gentle smile as he melted, nuzzling into the hold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan came up and hugged Roman as well, Virgil and Janus following, till Roman was wrapped in the warmth of everyone’s arms. The Prince sniffled softly, and he closed his eyes, relaxing. Feeling safe, Roman let himself fall into unconsciousness, secure in the thought that he was safe with his family. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There is a sliver of hope in the times when all that can be seen is sadness and anger and pain. </p><p>There will be people to catch you when you fall.<br/>~~~<br/>I had to let Remus and Roman be happy. I feel like I need that content now with all the angst between them.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. In the End..</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>...what is left? </p><p>What is changed? </p><p>What are they?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>When the group did return home to the mindscape, it was quiet. Remus took care to hold his twin, whose wings were wrapped around the other carefully, and Remus didn't complain despite the wetness of his twin. Patton held Virgil’s jacket, walking with the anxious side as he took care to check on his hands, which were bleeding. Janus and Logan walked together, both quiet, keeping an eye on the group. Janus would glance at Logan, and his eyes never lost their worried look despite the fact Roman was no longer sinking and instead in the arms of his brother. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patton and Remus helped to get Roman cleaned off and into warm clothes. The prince didn’t wake up as they worked, and Remus carried him to bed, curling up with his twin. Patton got a few blankets, and watched Remus start to card his finger’s through Roman’s feathers, grooming the golden wings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the two took care of Roman, Logan went to make them all some food, soup, while Janus helped to bandage Virgil’s hands. Virgil was quiet and didn’t speak at all, and the mood was morse. When the food was done, the three joined Patton and Remus in Roman’s room to eat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they ate, they talked. Remus told them about what happened when he and Roman stopped being close. Patton confided that he felt horrible for the split. Virgil murmured about his suspicions of Roman’s struggle. Janus talked about what might have caused their issues. Logan worked through a list of what they could do. At the end, they decided to set up a schedule to watch the Prince and make sure he recovered, and none of them felt comfortable not watching over Roman. The prince was weak, and at best they could all assume that whatever had happened had exhausted him, and he’d be sleeping for a while. So they started their daily rotations. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Every few hours and every night it was someone new. When Logan sat with Roman, he would read poetry to him in a quiet voice, calm. Other times, he would sit there quietly and hold his hand, tears slowly working their way down his face. Whoever switched with him wouldn’t bring it up, but when he returned to the common room, Virgil would hold out an arm and let Logan curl up next to him, and put on a documentary about the coral reef. Usually, Patton was next to check on Roman, and would spend his time reading books, talking about cooking, baking, telling dad jokes to a quiet room. Sometimes he would trail off and crawl next to Roman, petting his wings and holding his hand. Sometimes he fell asleep like that. When it was his turn to switch, he’d be woken up and would go back to the kitchen, quiet. Logan usually helped him bake, and Remus would help make Patton smile again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil usually went next, and he’d mostly spend his time sitting on the bed or the desk, listening to music. Even if he looked relaxed, his posture was just a bit tense. He never closed his eyes too long, and every so often he’d check Roman was breathing. When it was his time to switch, he’d leave the room and go to the couch to put the documentary back on. Janus followed next, and he was quiet as he sat with Roman, for ten minutes at least. Then he would talk, talk about the sky, tell small stories of dumb lies, talk about how sorry he was for what he said, how sorry he was to mislead Roman, how sorry he was he failed- for not doing his job and protecting Roman. Sometimes he wouldn’t even sit by him, he’d curl up next to him into his side and warmth, falling asleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus was last, and he always spent the night. Without Roman, he was quiet, and the other's heard nothing of gore, of blood, of violence, instead they let him be. An old sadness ran through him, grief that was old with time and distance. He would curl up next to him and let his tentacles curl around Roman, he would groom his feathers and mess with his hair. He would talk about the day, talk about the ideas that came to mind, talk and talk till he fell asleep curled around his brother. He would remember, much like Roman did, the times they had been brothers. And as he held onto his twin, he wondered if he missed it too. </span>
</p><p>~~~</p><p>
  <span>Recovery was… slow. It took a couple of days, days filled with worry and a house that was just too quiet, too still. The morning that Remus woke up to see Roman’s green eyes staring back at his was the day things began to get better. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was the day Roman was basically attached to Remu’s side, wings curled around the other as he was carried around from his room to the commons for some food and cuddles. That was the day Roman and Janus apologised, and Janus promised that when he nodded, he was confirming that yes, Roman was Thomas’s hero, no matter what. That was the day Roman let the others pet his wings as he cuddled Remus, who was warm like a furnace in comparison to Roman’s slight natural chill, and melted at the contact he’d avoided for ages. That was the day that Roman was reminded he was loved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day after was the day Remus and Roman moved back to sharing a room, the day Remus teased Roman and they ended up running around to the others amusement, laughing and hiding and ending up on the top bunk, Roman laughing as Remus tickled him till they both fell asleep for a midday nap. That was the day Patton and Roman made dinner later that night, and they all curled up on the couch for a documentary, and Roman went to bed feeling loved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day after, Roman and Janus talked wing and scale care, and Roman felt loved. The day after, Logan and Roman discussed Roman’s wings as well, and Logan asked if he could fly high enough to see the stars, so they did, and Roman felt loved. The day after, Virgil, Roman, Remus, and Janus spent a day doing face masks and their nails and telling spooky stories before they fell asleep in a pile of pillow, blankets, and golden wings; and Roman felt loved. And the day after that, and the day after that, and the days that followed- Roman felt loved. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And yes, they argued, they fought, they had bad days. There were days Roman and Remus couldn’t stand each other, days Janus pushed a button, days Logan and Roman got in furious debates and screamed till their throats hurt, days Virgil would glare and hiss and Patton wouldn’t know an answer and they would all fight, days everything felt awful and bad and Roman wondered if they still loved him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But even on those days Remus would slide into Roman’s bottom bunk and they’d cuddle all night, Janus an Roman would talk and have self-care spa days, Logan and Roman would spend hours writing poetry and finalizing stories, Virgil and Roman would talk about Disney movies and criticize the classics in their onesies, Patton would make cookies and talk to Roman and they would sit and cuddle. Despite everything, they would always remind Roman they loved him, and in turn he would as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And in the end, recovery took a while. Roman would have bad days, they all would, but Remus was never shy to remind him that he loved him, Janus would offhandedly drop a time for secret meeting (aka, their spa time), Logan would ramble about his wings, Patton would give him an extra hug, and Virgil would offer a small smile, quiet and solitary but it carried the meaning. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“You good?” </span>
  </em>
  <span> And Roman would smile back. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Yeah. I’m good.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> In the end, they were there for him, they were his family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And in the end, Roman was loved. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That wraps up the fic! </p><p>Thank you to everyone who read, if there are any spelling errors do me a favor and point them out- I relied on my computer to help but it may mess up once or twice.<br/>I hope everyone enjoyed, and I may return to posting more Sanders Sides fan fiction in the future, hopefully adding to my one-shot book when summer starts up again. </p><p>Thank you again, and a very Happy Birthday to our favorite prince, Roman Sanders. </p><p>In the end, he is loved. </p><p>(for now)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first proper Ao3 fan fiction so if there’s any tags I missed or anything like that feel free to tell me! I’m super new and appreciate comments and constructive criticism on my works</p></blockquote></div></div>
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